Sudanese SPLM signs deals with South African companies-report

NAIROBI, Mar 21, 2005 (Sudan Tribune) — Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, SPLM, has signed deals with South African companies to set up airports, as well as an electricity project and investment banks in the south during the transitional period.

The SPLM secretary for development and international cooperation, Kostilo Garang, told the Khartoum based Al-Ray al-Amm that he signed the agreements with representatives of companies specialized in the aforementioned fields after receiving an invitation from Cyril Ramaphosa the former secretary-general of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and executive chairman of Shanduka Group.

Garang said that the SPLM decision to sign investment agreements in all fields was aiming at transforming the movement from a political force to an economic force similar to ANC.

He pointed out that Ramaphosa, who toured with him various South African towns, told him that his country would make an effort to transform southern Sudan into a dynamic economic force in the African continent by attracting the largest possible investment from Europe and USA which have economic and trade relations with his country.

Material provided by the BBC Monitoring Service.